Diamondbacks reach arbitration settlements with Christian Walker, Paul Sewald
Jan 11, 2024, 11:59 AM | Updated: 9:00 pm
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The Arizona Diamondbacks reached arbitration settlements with first baseman Christian Walker and closer Paul Sewald on Thursday, reported FanSided.com’s Robert Murray.
The D-backs later announced the signings, along with those of Zac Gallen, Ryan Thompson, Joe Mantiply and Kevin Ginkel to avoid arbitration.
Walker settled at $10.9 million in 2024, while Sewald’s figure came in at $7.4 million.
While Walker scuffled offensively in the D-backs’ run to the World Series, he was first on the team during the regular season in RBIs (103), home runs (33) and doubles (36).
Walker was third in runs (86), hits (150) and walks (62) while appearing in 157 games.
The 32-year-old has bolstered first base for most of the past five years after the trade of star Paul Goldschmidt heading into the 2019 season.
Sewald, a midseason trade acquisition in 2023, helped clarify roles for a revamped bullpen that played a major role in the Diamondbacks surviving through a deep postseason run with only three starting pitchers.
He posted 13 saves in 20 opportunities after joining Arizona from the Seattle Mariners toward the end of the regular season.
In the playoffs, Sewald made eight appearances of one inning each without allowing a run until finding trouble in the World Series against the Texas Rangers, allowing six earned runs in two appearances, including a game-tying, two-run shot in the ninth frame of Game 1 in an eventual 6-5 loss.